Saved Ukrainian Lion Receives Essential Dental Operation
The Big Cat Sanctuary
A three-year-old lioness saved from conflict-ridden Ukraine has undergone critical dental surgery to remove a severely infected canine tooth caused by an infection.
Lira was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March after a fundraising effort by director Cam Whitnall, who raised half a million pounds to fund her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was carried out on last week by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the damaged fang was highly inflamed," stated the dentist.
He believed the dental issue was due to a trauma sustained more than a year ago, leading to germs creating harmful substances within the fang.
"The approach I follow is animal oral health issues should be addressed in the safest, the most conservative and most secure manner," he said.
The expert explained that as the lioness did not need to catch prey, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The rescue center reported the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to remove a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and seal the significant opening with seven dissolving sutures.
He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the corresponding top fang, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
Briony Smith, curator at the facility, declared the operation was a "complete success."
She noted the team had observed "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been impossible to determine "how serious the condition was."
"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will start to feel much better over the next few days," commented Ms Smith.
The successful surgery marks a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.
